Ipswich stars in another blockbuster
24 March 2021
Two of the world’s most iconic monsters are about to go head to head and it all started in Ipswich.
Godzilla vs. Kong hits the cinemas on 25 March and with already over 70 million views of the official trailer released on 25 January, it is expected to be an epic success.
Ipswich joined the MonsterVerse blockbuster in March 2019 as part of the film was shot at The Workshops Rail Museum.
There were 90 crew and 200 extras involved in filming at The Workshops Rail Museum where exterior locations and stunts were recorded.
Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said that the city’s diverse landscapes, natural spaces and heritage sites are increasingly recognized by domestic and international film producers.
“About 200 Ipswich sites and businesses are now listed on the Film Ipswich database, enabled by a partnership between Ipswich City Council and Screen Queensland,” Mayor Harding said.
“Film Ipswich provides is a fantastic platform to showcase local film locations, which has been especially important for the creative sector and supporting industry to drive recovery in the wake of the pandemic.”
“Attracting a production means job opportunities for cast, crew and extras and local businesses receive a flow on benefit while they are on location.
“I wish Godzilla vs. Kong every success and thank the producers for the chance to showcase Ipswich’s diverse locations. We look forward to welcoming future productions to our city.”
Community, Culture, Arts and Sport Committee chair Councillor Andrew Fechner said it is wonderful to see a piece of Ipswich on the silver screen.
“Having part of Godzilla vs. Kong filmed in Ipswich is great for the local economy,” Cr Fechner said.
“The film industry has many reasons to shoot here and council has approved 13 film permits in the past several months including for House Hunters International, The Parenting Show, the Russell Howard Show and Crikey! It's the Irwins all booked to film in Ipswich.”
The Workshops Rail Museum operations manager Andrew Sivijs said it was exciting to have part of the movie filmed onsite at the heritage venue.
“The Workshops Rail Museum provides a unique backdrop for filming makers with dramatic industrial buildings which can be used with very little set dressing, or turned into a completely different location like one of our alleyways standing in for a busy Asian city street scene in Godzilla vs Kong film,” Mr Sivijs said.
“We’ve had a range of movies, television shows and commercials filmed at the museum over the years and we enjoy working with film and productions to make the process as smooth as possible.”
Film making in the short-term supports local jobs with typical films spending from $10,000 to $50,000 in location on location leases, film crew accommodation at local hotels, meals at local hospitality providers and using local talent as part of the film production.
In the long-term, popular shows help to showcase the city in a positive light and bring awareness of what the city has to offer and allows local talent to gain professional experience in the city.
See Ipswich sites uploaded to Screen Queensland here.
Businesses or private property owners interested in having their location considered for future film shoots can submit them directly to Screen Queensland for consideration.